The NBA enjoys a cult following around the world and is one of the most popular leagues in the world. It continues to grow every season and gathers new audiences in every country. Several NBA stars such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Stephen Curry, among others, have helped in popularizing the league.

Immense popularity means the NBA stars have a lot of fan-following on social media. Some athletes are among the most followed athletes in the world. However, some stars like Kawhi Leonard and Nikola Jokic don’t have an Instagram account.

However, most of the athletes are on social media. Among the current batch of players, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Russell Westbrook, and Kyrie Irving are among the most followed on Instagram.

However, more follower counts don’t give an insight into follower growth. This is where LeBron James steps in. He is not only the most followed NBA athlete on Instagram, but he has also enjoyed substantial growth in his follower count.

WATCH THIS STORY: The LeBron James Innovation Center: A Sneak Peek

LeBron James gained the most followers on Instagram this year

ManySpins.com recently conducted a study to find out which NBA star gained the most followers on Instagram. And as usual, LeBron leads the pack with massive numbers. However, there are some surprising names in the top five list.

LeBron James gained 25,376,750 followers this year by the time of the study. He is followed by Stephen Curry (4,104,774), Giannis Antetokounmpo (2,039,709), Russell Westbrook (2,000,831), and Klay Thompson (1,564,736) in the top five.

Trending

Big Setback for Shaq, as $155 Billion Company Eyes Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith Post-TNT Era

May 17, 2024 10:54 PM EDT

“Could Hear Jeanie Buss & Rob Pelinka Chuckling”: LeBron James Declared to Be Manipulating NBA World With Obvious Bluff

May 17, 2024 12:58 PM EDT

Countdown Starts for Charles Barkley and TNT Crew as Ernie Johnson Makes Heartfelt Confession Before Parting

May 16, 2024 06:00 AM EDT

Caitlin Clark in Deep Waters as Indiana Fever Shatter Embarrassing WNBA Record After Defeat Against Sabrina Ionescu and Co.

May 17, 2024 07:05 AM EDT

Exclusive: Shaquille O’Neal Has Big Plans to Dethrone Nike With Allen Iverson & Reebok, Ex-Agent Reveals

May 17, 2024 02:15 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

LeBron’s lead in the list is huge. This is despite him losing in the first round for the first time in his career. In fact, LeBron recently became the first NBA player with 100 million followers on Instagram. These huge feats in a season when LeBron struggled are crazy.

However, if you look at the list, Klay Thompson gained around 1.5 million followers this year. He has been out for two seasons in a row. Since his last NBA game, Russell Westbrook has been on four different franchises. But the reason for his follower growth could be that the fans wanted to be kept updated on his rehabilitation.

James’ follower growth on Instagram is around 25%, which is more than the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and MLS combined. Another player who had a high follower growth% this year is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak’s followers increased by a whopping 23%, which is more than the likes of Stephen Curry (13%) and Russell Westbrook (13%).

There are many factors that lead to an increase in followers, which includes their performances during the season. So, it’ll be interesting to see which players gain the most followers at the end of this year.

LeBron James Hits Massive Milestone Beating NBA, NFL and MLB Combined